This new approach by Liverpool John Moores University could ultimately lead to a clinical myocardial regenerative therapy which is effective, simple, affordable, readily and widely available and easy to apply and compatible with the current clinical standard of cardiac care.

Dr Nadal-Ginard said the research shows that injecting growth factors IGF-1 and HGF caused significant "anatomical, histological and physiological" regeneration of damaged hearts and "sets the path" for testing clinical trials.